Field Assistant for the Pan African Programme

Job description:

The Department of Primatology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany is seeking highly motivated students to collect, enter and process scientific data as part of the Pan African program ‘The Cultured Chimpanzee’ (for more details on this project please see the report in Nature 476, 18 August 2011, pp. 266-269). The projects aims to compile a large data set to answer questions about the evolution of tool use, hunting, life history and social organization in wild chimpanzees with a continent wide approach.

            The successful candidates will work at temporary or long-term research sites where they will collect detailed data on chimpanzee demographic and social structure, tool use, behavior and ecology, as well as organic samples for genetic, pathogen and isotope analysis. This will include the set up of arrays of remote video cameras and autonomous recording units at the site; the candidate will be responsible for the maintenance and the proper functioning of these devices. Regular visits to each device need to be done to ensure proper performance, recharging and/or replacing batteries, doing repairs if necessary, as well as downloading data and exchanging the memory cards. Furthermore, the candidate will collect data on food availability, prey species, other sympatric wildlife, human impact and information on additional chimpanzee food sources, including ants, termites, nuts and honey. In addition, the candidate will collect and store fecal, urine and hair samples, as well as environmental samples and bones for isotope analysis.

The candidate will be further responsible for data entry, sample storage, preliminary analysis and monthly reporting of results. Finally, the candidate will also be responsible for coordination of the project activities in the area, the supervision of team members, and managing the field site. The field sites are located in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo. Positions will be available for a period of 15 months, of which at least 12 months will be spent at the respective site to ensure continuous data collection over an entire year.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate should hold an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in biology or a related field. As field work will be extremely demanding, the successful candidate must be physically and mentally fit, able to spend long periods of time away from developed areas and be comfortable with minimal living conditions (no plumbing, electricity, or housing) in extremely remote locations. The candidate must be self-sufficient and able to work independently, capable of learning fast and making decisions on his/her own. He/she also needs to be able to work in a team and communicate well with other team members and the project managers at the institute. Field experience (GPS usage, navigation and camping skills, etc.) is mandatory. He/she needs to be proficient with computers, graphics and spreadsheets, and proficiency in written and oral French is necessary.

Salary/funding:

We will pay a monthly salary of $300. $200 will be paid each month, and the remaining amount of $1500 will be paid following the successful completion of the field data collection.  

Food, tents and all field equipment will be provided. We will also provide the international flight ticket to and from the field, with half of the amount paid on the candidate’s arrival and the rest paid when the student leaves the field site after one year. Positions will be available from May/June 2012 onwards. Applications will be considered until the suitable candidates have been chosen.

To apply

Please send a Curriculum Vita, cover letter and two reference letters to Mizuki Murai (mizuki_murai@eva.mpg.de). Please reference “Field Positions-The Cultured Chimpanzee” in the subject line.